Archetype
by Ryuuzaki-Takada
Summary: Sometimes, the Personas we have are not our true self. #ProjectShadowStory with an OC, mostly based on Jungian psychology.
1. The Damsel In Distress

_Shadows always existed. They lived alongside us since the dawn of mankind. Their world is always open to us, their gates always ready to receive guests._

_We just need to know where they are._

_They can be something physical, like a door or a TV…_

_Or the gates may be within us, just waiting to be discovered._

* * *

_"It requires great courage to look at oneself honestly and forge one's own path." - Nyx Avatar, The Hermit Arcana_

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Damsel In Distress**

A young man awoke in a world filled with decay. The land was barren, the trees were lifeless, and the air was dry.

"Where am I?" he said to no one in particular, dusting himself from the dirt. Looking around, he saw that it was, for a lack of a better term, a wasteland. Nothing particularly _alive _was around for miles.

_"**What an asshole.**"_

"Huh?" A voice echoed in the nothingness.

_"**Yeah, heard he cried a lot in grade school. What a loser!**_" said another voice.

"Who're you calling a loser!" he shouted. "Show yourself!"

_"**Hmph. What a dumbass, acting all aloof and ignorant. He's obviously neglected at home.**"_Another voice echoed through the wind.

"What? No I'm not!" he shouted out loud, trying to block out the voices.

**_"B-But it's not my fault! It's not my fault no one likes me for who I am!"_ **said a voice, sounding like his own. But it was different. It was more… weak. More hollow.

"Y-yeah! Not my fault no one likes me for what I am!" he lied. He knew it was false, but his mind was breaking down quickly. Too quickly, in fact.

_"**Ha! No it's not**,"_ the voices shouted._ "**It's totally your fault. If it weren't for us, your entire social life won't exist. You NEED us. You CRAVE us.**" _

The voices emphasized the words, making it sound condescending and hateful.

_"**It's so obvious that if we didn't already know that you were so fucking stupid we would've guessed so.**"_

"Fuck you! I can change!"

"**But I don't WANT to change!**" shouted another voice behind him. He turned around and saw its origin.

It was him. It was him, yet not him, if the glowing yellow eyes were a give away.

"What? Who the fuck are you?" he panicked. He needed to get out of here.

"**I'm just a poor bastard looking for a little fun. Doesn't matter who I trample along the way**," the doppelganger cried. "**Fuck them and their needs, 'cos it's all about me!**"

The original man stopped and stared at his copy. It was impossible. He didn't think this way, he wasn't like this.

"No it's not. It's never about me."

"**Au contraire, my little bitch. It's always you. It's never NOT you. And do you know how I know that? Because I am you.**"

He couldn't believe it. He wasn't this... this _thing._ Not now, not ever.

"No."

"**Hmm? What dost the bitch say?**"

The young man said with confidence, "You heard me bitch. You're not me. You're nothing like me."_  
_

"**Oh really?**"

The other him stepped closer.

"**Well then, I guess you're right.**"

It took another step.

"**I'm...**"

Another.

"**NOT**"

It reached out to him.

"**YOU!**"

The other man put its hands on his neck, pushing him down on the ground.

"G-g-get off me!"

The young man resisted his doppelganger's grip. It responded by punching him in the face.

"**I could... but I won't. You see, I WOULD let you live, let you go to survive in your own delusional world, but I won't. Because you're just too much of a fucking jackass to man up. Now DIE!**"

He tried to resist more as it continued to strangle him. Slowly, his vision faded and faded until all he could hear was the other him laughing maniacally.

_"Get away from him!"_

_What? A woman?_ he thought. Is this what death felt like? An angel coming to get him?

"Get away!"

The young man felt the body on top of him get forcefully pushed aside, followed by sounds of beatings and shovings. He opened his eyes just a bit to see what was happening.

_A... girl? Beating me up... that's a bit... sad..._

His other self was being brutalized by the woman. She was winning, however. Suddenly, his other self became covered in black pitch. It blasted dark energy from itself, and teleported a few feet away. He stood there with a sickening smirk.

"**Hmph. Fine. You win _this_ round. But mark my words, I'm gonna kill you once I kill**** him.**"

The other man vanished. The girl ran up towards the young man and tried to wake him up.

"Wake up. Animus, get over here!"

"W-Wha...?"

"WAKE UP!"

The young man said nothing, instead passing out in the arms of the girl.

"Dammit," the woman said. "We need to take him back to the Room."

Another man stepped in close. "We need to hurry. Else..."

The woman looked around. The wasteland was beginning to fill with fog.

"Yeah. We need to bring him back."

* * *

_AN: Welcome to the first chapter of Archetype, part of Urter's #ProjectShadowStory. Thought I'd try my hand in the actual, wordy-thinky part of fanfics._

_AN2: Edited for fun._


	2. The Warrior

_"It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped." - Tony Robbins  
_

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Warrior**

The young man woke up, but kept his eyes closed. A cold sweat dripped down from his forehead.

_Was it all... a dream?_

"Oh no it wasn't."

He jolted up from the bed. He looked around and saw that he was in a... hotel room? The hotel room was small, not unlike what one would see in a budget hotel. The difference was that it seemed to have a theme _(Blue Velvet?)_ and there was onply a bed, a table, and a TV (which apparently did not work).

"Who's there?" the young man said apprehensively. He didn't know where he was, or what he was dealing with. A tap on his shoulder shook him from his thoughts. Warily, he looked behind him.

"Hello." "Hello."

The young man saw two persons, a man and a woman, smile with such intensity that the young man thought it suspicious. He asked them the three questions he asked himself when he woke up.

"...Who are you two, where am I and why am I here?"

"That's easy," the man answered. "We're you."

"As for where you are and why you are here," the woman said, "the better question is _who_ you are, isn't it?"

The young man was confused. "Of course I know who I am, I'm-"

He was in shock. He didn't know his name. "Who am I?"

The woman frowned in thought, then smiled. "Well, this posits a unique experience for you, hm? Now you can choose to name yourself."

The man smiled. "Or we can name you. It's your choice, really."

The young man remained skeptical. "Can you at least tell me who you are? And what do you mean 'you're me?'"

"We're like that man who tried to kill you, only much, much nicer," the man said. "I am what you call the Animus."

"And I, the Anima," the woman said. "You may call us by those, if you wish."

The young man nodded. "Okay. So, Anima, you rescued me from... me?"

"Well, your shadow," Anima replied. "It's basically negative-you, the side which you keep locked away in that mind of yours."

"And we're also you, or rather a part of you," Animus said. "Sometimes we are, sometimes not. Currently, we're not, seeing as you've denied your Shadow."

"Therefore denying yourself as a whole-"

"-Which, as we have told you, we are part of-"

"-Making us independent of your actions-"

"-And causing this world to become that wasteland you landed in."

"I-I see," the young man answered, still reeling in from his amnesia. "So where am I?"

"Your head," Anima replied. "We're not saying more than that," Animus finished.

"Oh come on, why not?" the young man whined. He was already annoyed at the two for not being clear enough.

"Because you're in your head _for a reason_," Animus explained. "It's not like you're here because Phile-oops! I've said too much already," he said in a somewhat sing-song tone.

"Look," Anima explained, "All you need to know is that you're here for a reason. Your memories are gone because sometimes, you need to blank your mind to remember. And frankly, you need to accept your Shadow as soon as possible."

"And why's that?" the young man asked. "What's stopping me from jumping off a high place and waking up?"

"Because of that," Animus said with an opening of a window curtain. What the young man saw was shocking.

The world was covered in a yellowish fog. It was barely permeable, and it was covering a city the young man now understood was his mind. The city was deserted and crumbling, and evidence that it fell into disrepair because of a simple act of denial was written on the billboards and signs.

"Now do you see why?' Animus continued. "You can't just wake up just because you think that it's just in your head. This is your mind fractured, and you can't just wake up without consequences."

"So, in other words," the young man said, "I'm trapped here."

"Pretty much," Anima consoled him. "So, will you help yourself take back your mind?"

The young man nodded, "Of course. It's my mind after all." He stood up to look at the window. "I'm gonna need a name though."

Animus laughed. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, I like the name 'Theo', don't you?" Anima suggested.

Animus agreed, "I like it as well, but your choice."

The young man thought for a while, then he decided. "Okay then, it's decided. Until I know my real name, my name is Theo."

"Theo... Sophia."

* * *

_AN: Not gonna lie, I think this is the furthest any fanfic has gone from the Persona series. But screw it, I'll introduce the Personas soon, just not the way most people expect it. I'm also trying to incorporate different aspects of Jungian psychology, more specifically the archetypes._


	3. The Child I

_"Nothing ventured, nothing gained" - Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales_

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Child I**

Theo stood at a foot of a large, imposing archway in the middle of the wasteland.

"Technically," Anima corrected, "it's a gateway."

"I believe the Japanese called them _torii_, Theo," Animus finished

"You two finish each other's sentences a lot," Theo pointed out.

"Well of course," Anima began.

"We're facets of your mind and soul, we're pretty much connected to each other," Animus continued.

"It's a shame _you _can't be connected to us-"

"-You know, because of the denial thing."

Theo sighed. "Alright, alright, I messed up, I know, now tell me why I'm here instead of kicking my Shadow's ass."

"Easy," Anima said. "We're going to train you."

"WHAT?" Theo was shocked. "That could take days! Weeks! What the fuck happens to my physical body?"

"Oh don't worry about that," Anima said, trying to calm down Theo. "Time slows down to a crawl when you're in here.'

"Yep," Animus explained. "In your mind, what could be days and weeks, possibly even months and years could be like five minutes in reality."

"Besides," Anima pointed out, "You were out like a log for a few hours. You'd think people would be worried that you would be knocked out for a while."

"Well I don't like it," Theo huffed. "I want to beat him now for trying to kill me."

Animus raised an eyebrow. "So you're telling us-"

"-That you expect to fight your Shadow-" Anima continued.

"-Who, for the record, nearly **killed** you-"

"-Unarmed and unprepared?"

Theo stared at them. "Well... if you put it that way... no."

"Good." Animus smiled.

"Didn't expect you both to be my senses of self-preservation, though."

Animus chuckled. 'You'll be surprised."

Theo huffed out of jest. "So why _is_ there a gate here?"

Anima answered. "The gate is a link to the rest of the collective unconscious."

"You mean the rest of my mind?"

"No," Animus said. "We mean, the literal collective unconscious. The gate links your mind with the rest of the world."

"So wait, to get stronger, I leave my mind to enter someone elses?" Theo asked, sounding worried for his own mind.

"In a way, yes. But remember: you only wake up once your mind is fixed. To do that, you defeat your Shadow, which cannot leave your mind at all."

"You guys can."

"Well, yes, but we're the Animii. We are what makes you think. That gives us a bit more freedom. Now, I believe we have wasted enough objective time. Through the gate, Anima?"

"Why of course Animus, now then, Theo?"

Theo breathed in deep. "Yeah. I'm good."

They went through the gate, vanishing in midair as they were transported into God-knows-where.

* * *

The gate teleported in front of a French street, the trio appearing soon afterwards.

"So where are we?" Theo asked.

"We're in another person's mind, it seems," Anima answered.

"Good. Now then," Animus announced, "Let's get down to business. Theo, I'm pretty sure by now you'll expect the way to be dangerous."

"Of course, why wouldn't I?"

"Well, we have to give you weapons. Or can you kill them with your bare fists?"

"Wait, what am I killing?"

"Shadows."

The three were silent for a few minutes.

"...Shadows...?"

"Yes," Anima said. "Well, not like _your_ Shadow-"

"-That would be suicide, obviously."

"What we mean are the 'minor' Shadows. Instead of one person, these Shadows are from the collective unconscious of humanity. As such, they can't really be gone forever, unless humanity is firmly positive in their collective thoughts."

Theo sighed with resignation. "So basically I'm an exterminator?"

Anima smiled. "Yes! But, you know, more deadly."

"However, there's still the danger of a major Shadow appearing. Your rejection of your Shadow means that the minor Shadows will clump together to form a major one. If that happens... accept it. Do NOT make the same mistake. Major Shadows may be weaker than your original, but they are still a threat."

Theo nodded. "Okay. So Animus, what are my weapons?"

Animus stepped forward and produced something out of his pocket. "Actually, it's more of 'weapon', in the singular. Here," he said, placing the object in Theo's hands."

Theo stared at the object. It was a black retractable pen, with the word "Arcana" engraved in goldcon the side. He held it up and shook it in front of the two. "This is a pen. This is a _pen_. What the hell is a _pen_ going to do?"

Animus grinned. "Click it."

Theo did so, and the transformation was immediate. The pen did not eject out a pen; it instead enveloped his hand to become something more useful, and far more deadly.

"This... what is this?"

The amorphous blob which used to be a pen continued to envelope his entire arm, steadily growing bigger and bigger until it covered his right shoulder. It further enveloped until it became a gauntlet on his right arm.

"It's your weapon." Animus said. "Your mind made it possible. Fractured as it is, you yourself are still functioning."

"That's why you have to fix your mind," Anima explained, "By defeating and accepting your Shadow. The wasteland that is your mind is still somewhat intact. If it was _truly_ fractured, you wouldn't be here by now."

Theo looked at the both of them. "Hey, thanks. Let's go kick some Shadow ass then!"

Anima stared at him. "Oh! Oh no, YOU'RE going alone."

Theo was surprised. "Why am I going alone?"

"You're training," Animus said. "It would be somewhat unfair if we helped."

"And we want to see your potential. There's power within you yet."

Theo nodded. "Yep. Yes there is."

"Wait!" Anima stopped him. "Before you go, here's my contribution."

Anima held out a small earpiece. "We need to communicate while you're in there. If things get too tough we go in to get you."

"Thanks," Theo said. "Hope you don't need to."

"Well what are you waiting for? A trumpet? Go already!"

Theo simply smiled and went down the road. Suddenly, he heard a crack in the air, and time seemed to stop.

* * *

_Thou hast forged a new path with the psyche..._

_Thou has discovered the journey..._

**_Journey, Rank 1: Fool_**

* * *

_AN: Fun fact: I was originally going to put Yukiko's Castle here to link this and Persona 4. But then I wanted to be more original. Still, I don't want to head over to completely AU, just no._

_I own Anima, Animus and Theo. The Persona series and my tears on which they get off on is owned by the Atlus._


	4. The Child II

_"Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe_

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Child II**

Shaking off what just happened, Theo continued down the dark street.

_"Careful Theo, the Shadows will be there, and the gauntlet only turns on when they're in range." _Anima informed over the earpiece.

"Okay, so where are the Shadows?" Theo asked. It's been a while since he entered and he was getting antsy from the lack of action.

_"You'll see them when you see them,"_ Animus explained. _"You don't go to the Shadows-"_

_"-They come to you, like dogs and cats-"_

_"-Except with them having the capacity to kill."_

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

_"Hey, that's why we're here."_

Theo disconnected from the two and began to explore. The street was a one-way street, which inclined forwards. The streets were made of stone, as expected from the French, and the buildings around him were either destroyed, in the process of being destroyed, or boarded up.

_"Remember Theo, we can't be there with you,"_ Anima said._ "We can tell you where they are and their weaknesses but other than that, this is gonna be all you."_

"Affirmative," Theo said shakily. He prepared for an ambush.

* * *

___"Theo, watch out. We detect two minor Shadows_ ahead."

Theo stopped in his tracks. He raised his arms to defend himself if necessary.

_*growl*_

Theo saw the two Shadows. Both of them were shaped similar to dogs, and were colored pure black. Their heads were covered with masks, with the letter I printed on them. One of them growled at Theo and charged at him.

_"Theo! Use the gauntlet!" _Anima screamed.

Theo didn't answer, only stared at the gauntlet. It shone brightly, and moved by itself forward, bringing its wielder with it.

Towards into the incoming Shadow.

_BAM!_

The fist collided into the dog Shadow. It was still alive, so Theo prepared to perform another attack. The Shadow leapt through the air, its jaws open, ready to bite. Theo drew his hand back, and struck the Shadow's head with the back of his hand. As it landed on the ground, the Shadow let out a whine, then dissolved into a black mist, the resulting miasma being absorbed into the gauntlet.

"Animus, why is the gauntlet absorbing Shadow remains?" Theo panicked.

_"Don't worry, that's normal. Now we've scanned the Sha-"_

Theo rolled out of the way of the other Shadow's lunge.

"Sorry, got kinda busy there. What was it?"

_"The Shadow's weak to Wind. Point the gauntlet at the Shadow and imagine wind."_

"Okay, okay," Theo panted. He pointed the gauntlet at the Shadow and imagined wind flowing out from his arm. Suddenly, time slowed down for him. The power of the gauntlet took over. It glowed an intense green, and it pulsated as it prepared to unleash its power. His mind blanked out, his pupils dilated, and one word escaped his lips.

_GARU!_

The gauntlet expelled out its energy at once. Green swirls erupted from his arm, and it wrapped around the Shadow. The swirls turned faster and faster as the Shadow was lifted off the ground. The sheer force of the wind tore the Shadow open, and it died right there, the remaining miasma also being absorbed by the gauntlet.

_huff _"Okay," Theo panted out into the earpiece. "Why did the gauntlet absorb what was left of the Shadows?"

"It's how it get's stronger," Animus explained. "The gauntlet gets stronger the more Shadows you defeat. I think it harnesses the remains to power its attacks."

"Seriously?" Theo asked. "Why does it work like that?"

"I dunno," Animus apologized. "Just found it in the wasteland that's your mind, so it's your fault that it's like that."

"Huh. I think I'm gonna kick my ass later."

"Yeah, you do that," Anima said. "Oh yeah, I think you shouldn't over-do it. If you're tired, just tell us and we'll rest."

"Heh. Don't worry. I ain't tired just yet."

* * *

Theo was tired. He was tired from walking a never-ending road in the middle of someone's idea of French streets. His feet hurt, and his mind was still reeling from the Garu that he performed.

_Why though?_ Theo thought. Even though this wasn't his mind, there still had to be a reason why in the entire collective unconscious, this mind was the one his Animii chose to train him in.

"It's because it's familiar," a voice from above said.

Theo instinctively pointed his gauntlet at the direction of the voice. There was nothing there.

"Behind you, you moron."

Theo looked behind him and saw the origin of the voice.

"Hello, 'Theo Sophia'." the origin said.

The origin in question was a teenager, barely seventeen. He was wearing a blue hoodie, a pair of headphones, and a wearable computer on his wrist.

"Who are you?" Theo asked.

"Not important," the teen said. "What's important is this."

The teen held up his wearable and typed a few lines of code. He held up his hand that wore the wearable.

"Let's shake hands first before I show you, as a sign of trust," the teen said, offering his hand.

Theo looked at the hand warily, being suspicious of the teenager. "I don't even know who you are. Why should I shake your hand?"

The teen smiled. "It's because I'm gonna give you a fighting chance against Shadows. I know what Willpower can do, but that's not nearly enough for the Major Shadows."

"Willpower?"

"Your gauntlet," the teen pointed out. "The pen may say 'Arcana' on the side, but the gauntlet itself is called Willpower."

"Why is that?"

"It's because that you can, theoretically, conquer inner evil through sheer force of will. Isn't that what our parents tell us? Just, 'deal with it'?"

Theo stared at the offered hand again. "Okay, I trust you."

The teenager grabbed his hand and muttered a word.

_Zio._

Immediately, electricity coursed through Theo's body, paralyzing him. Before he passed out, he heard two things: Anima and Animus screaming through the earpiece, and the teenager talk to him in a fatherly tone.

_"Remember, Theo. Remember who you are, and become the hero you are destined to be."_

* * *

_AN: Alright, time for my inner self to be torn into pieces. Before you ask, he will gain a Persona next chapter, but he won't use it until the first Major Shadow._

_As for _who _the Persona is going to be... let's just say that there are some countries out there with a lot of untapped folklore and Atlus hasn't tapped yet._

_OCs owned by me: Anima, Animus, Theo, and the Mysterious Teenager._

_Persona owned by Atlus_


	5. The Child III

_AN: Major rule-changer to the Persona series template ahead._

* * *

_"Children are educated by what the grown-up is and not by his talk." - Carl Jung_

* * *

**Chapter 5: The Child III**

Theo woke up, but did not open his eyes. Instinctively, he put his hand into his pocket and pulled out his pen. Willpower was still there. But there was still the issue of the mysterious teen.

_I'm gonna kick his ass. Now where am I?  
_

"Good morning class!"

"Good morning, teacher."

_Goddamnit._

Theo opened his eyes to a classroom. The classroom was covered with children's drawings, and the boys in the class were all neatly arranged in their seats. The blackboard was covered in chalk, filled with what preschoolers needed, from their ABCs to 123s.

_Am I... in my old preschool?_

"Yes," said an all-too-familiar voice. "Yes you are, _Thessie_."

The teenager appeared, casually leaning on a wall.

"YOU! I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!"

"Au contraire, Theo, I think you need to kick their asses."

He pointed towards the rest of the class. The teacher and students... his old classmates were staring at him, with smiles on their lips and glee in their eyes.

_Yellow eyes,_ Theo noticed.

"So," the teen said, "What are you gonna do now, hm?"

"Well that's obvious isn't it?" said Theo, keeping his eyes trained on the Shadows. "I'm gonna accept them."

"**Oh REALLY?**" they said in unison. "**Are you sure you're not gonna obfuscate stupidity _again_? Pretend you have no fucking idea what's going on? Do you want to know why the FUCK do you do that?**" they said, moving in closer to Theo, surrounding him. The walls around the fake classroom began to extend a few feet for every step they took.

"Oh?" Theo was surprised. He knew where this was leading to and what he should do, but he steeled himself regardless.

"**Yep!**" said one of the preschoolers.

"**You like to hide behind a thin veneer of aloofness!**" said another.

"**You don't want to take responsibility, don'tcha?**" said another.

Theo frowned. "And so what? Everyone does it."

"**Tsk tsk, Mr. Sophia,**" the group said. "**Sure, _everyone_ does it, but you take it to the extremes.**"

"**To be honest, I have no idea what to do,**" said a familiar voice behind him. "**Why don't you do it for me, hm?**"

Theo took out Willpower and activated it. "Yeah, maybe I will," he turned around. It was his Shadow... but different.

The last time he saw his Shadow, it looked like him and even wore the same clothes, albeit more psychotic and insane. This one though, had a different air: innocence. This Shadow Theo wore a long-sleeved, loose fitting shirt that would not go amiss in a church choir, and a face that practically screamed _don't hurt me_ _please __I'm so innocent._

It was sickening.

"...You're not my Shadow." Theo tried to keep calm. _Just accept it, and nothing bad will happen._

"**Hmph,**" it said, cheeks puffing outwards.

"...But you're still me. And I am you."

It looked at Theo, walking closer to him.

"**Hmph. That's no fun at all!**" it whined out.

"Well, that's the truth," Theo said, slowly backing up just in case. "And that's that, there's nothing we could do about it."

The not-Shadow stared blankly, looking worried. "**NO! This cannot be!**"

Theo smiled. _It's working. _The not-Shadow kept checking himself for changes, which never came.

"**Wait,**" the not-Shadow said, "**It really can't?!**"

_Oh shit._

Theo stepped back. "The hell? You really _aren't_ me!"

"**HAHAHAHA! DO YOU NOT REALLY KNOW? YOU'RE DUMBER THAN I THOUGHT!**" the not-Shadow screamed, being enveloped in a black miasma, the doppelgangers of his old classmates being absorbed by the not-Shadow. "**YOU _ARE_ ME!**"

The not-Shadow was fully enveloped in the miasma, becoming an amorphous blob, slowly inching its way towards Theo. The blob screamed and shifted, slowly transforming into its combat form.

It grew a torso.

It grew hands.

It grew arms, legs, and a head.

But what it was... wasn't human.

_Never really _was _human in the first place,_ Theo thought.

What was once humanoid became a monstrosity. It kept the size of a seventeen year-old male, but grew four arms: two regular-sized ones where arms should be, and two slighty more muscular ones protruding from it's sides. The hands on the smaller arms interlocked and covered its face, while the hands on the larger arms were on the ground, on its knuckles like a gorilla.

"**I am a Persona,**" it said, slowly creeping towards Theo. "**The false self.**"

"**You will know my true power****!**" The Persona ran towards Theo, tackling him to the ground. It raised its fists high, punching him again and again. With each punch however, Theo's arm began to glow brighter and brighter.

"...get off me!"

Theo struck back at the Persona, blasting it back towards the wall. He scrambled away, getting his bearings straight before focusing back on the enraged Persona. It charged at him again, trying to ram him into a corner. Theo focused Willpower on the monster, concentrating on creating a gust of wind.

_GARU!_

The blast of wind stunned the Persona, if only briefly. Theo used the time to circle behind it, and went in for a straight punch.

Imagine his surprise when the Persona grabbed the fist without even looking.

"**Don't you be surprised at this,**" the Persona said, "**On second thought, you should. After all, I didn't even know I could do that!**"

The Persona gripped the arm tightly and threw Theo to the opposing wall. He hit the wall back first, nearly knocking him out.

_Dammit! I need a new strategy._

"_You already have one_."

_What?_

Time slowed down as Willpower glowed blue. The Persona shielded its eyes as the light glowed brighter and brighter.

"**What?! What is this?**" the Persona panicked, slowly inching away from the light.

_"Remember, Theo. Remember who you are, and become the hero you are destined to be."_

"Yeah. I remember."

The light that covered only Willpower spread, covering more and more of his body. Theo stepped closer towards the Persona slowly as he spoke.

"Remember what you said, Persona?" Theo said with confidence. "You are me?"

He took a step closer.

"Well you're right."

He took another step.

"I act all stupid so I won't do my responsibility."

Another.

"I pretend I don't know what's happening because I don't want to get hurt."

Another.

"I'm selfish, lazy and a dumbass."

Another.

"You are those things, just as I am."

Theo reached out to the Persona.

"You _are_ me. Just not the only part."

He touched the Persona, transferring the power from the gauntlet to the Persona, engulfing both in light.

"You are the mask that I wear."

The light was shaping the Persona into something different.

"You are the facade used to overcome life's hardships. _My _hardships."

The light dimmed as the transformation completed. What remained was a humanoid made of solid granite, with an axe in lieu of a right hand, a crossbow in lieu of a left It was lightly armored with leather, with its helmet forming an eagle's head.

"You are me. I am you."

The light dimmed as the Persona disappeared.

"You are my Persona."

_CRACK!_

* * *

_Thou hast forged a new path of the psyche..._

_Thou has discovered the capabilities of the self..._

**_Journey, Rank 2: Magician_**

* * *

_Theo has gained a facade used to overcome life's hardships. He has gained the Persona **Dumakulem, the Mountain Guardian.**_

* * *

_AN: Some explanation to what's going on here (might be wrong, but eh): __According to Jungian psychology, Personas are the facades we put on for the world. Just because it's what we show doesn't mean it's actually us._

_Yes, Theo's a Wild Card. No, his first Persona's not of the Fool, because that would be his Main Shadow, i.e. the thing that nearly killed him in the first chapter._

_At this point in time I would like to apologize to those who read this story and found it disjointed. I'm gonna rewrite the damn thing once it's done because if I'm going to make an allegory of my life into a really long fanfic I might as well make it look good._

_And damn, did I just break some core rules of the Persona universe? Because I think I did._

_Everything Persona owned by Atlus. Except for that Persona 4 porno (still trying to look for it)._

* * *

_**Dumakulem: Chariot**_

_The guardian of mountains accordin to Tagalog mythology. He is said to be one of the strongest and fastest warriors in the Philippines._

**_Skills:_**

**_Garu, Bash, Tarukaja, Rakunda_**


	6. The Trickster I

_"Shadow is a colour as light is, but less brilliant; light and shadow are only the relation of two tones." - Paul Cezanne_

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Trickster I**

_"Theo! Wake up!"_

Theo woke up, heavily pained from being shocked by lightning summoned by a teenager. He opened his eyes to the scene of Animus and Anima in a hotel room, looking worried for his life.

"What the hell happened to you?" Animus grimaced

"We were worried _sick_ dammit!" Anima said, close to tears.

Theo groaned. "I guess you could say I got schooled." He stood up from the bed he was laying on, looking around him. "Where am I, by the way?"

"We're back in your own mind," Animus explained, "We had to drag you out of there."

"You dumbass!" Anima shouted, letting her feelings out, "What happened, really!"

And thus, Theo explained the powers he was granted. The true name of the gauntlet, the fight with the Persona, everything but the teenager.

"But I don't get it," Anima mused. "That weird mask-guy told us that Personas are supposed to help us."

Theo was surprised at that statement. "Wait. You guys KNEW this? You knew about that thing which attacked me?!" Theo was mad. He was mad because he was witheld information that nearly killed him on purpose.

"Theo, please..." Anima whimpered.

Theo calmed down. "...Okay. I'm calm. No more lies. Who was the Phil guy you talked about, and how do you know so much?"

The two looked at each other before agreeing. No more lies. Animus sat down on a chair to explain. "You might want to sit down before we do this." Theo nodded and sat opposite him on the bed.

"Okay, who Phil is," Animus said. "His name's Philemon, and you met him before."

Theo stared at him. "How come I don't know him?"

"Simple. You forgot. You forgot everything, up to and including your name."

"And you do?" Theo spat out.

"Well... yes," Animus said apprehensively, "We're you, remember"

Theo was pissed. He was lied to. "THEN TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK'S HAPPENING!"

"... we can't."

"And why the fuck not?"

Animus breathed in. "It's something Philemon said."

"What did he say?"

"He didn't say _much_," Anima continued in place of her equal. "All he said was 'he should understand, before he remembers.'"

"Okay, okay," Theo said, dismissively. "And when did you guys meet him?"

"A few hours before we fought your Shadow-"

"-he appeared to us an said 'a journey in the center of the mind'-"

"And he told us to go to where you were when we found you."

Theo mused at what they said. If this 'Philemon' person knew where he was going to be attacked, then he knew how he became trapped in his mind.

"Where is he now?"

"No idea. He said something about helping a guy with his TV, though."

Theo stood up and looked around, taking in the Room for the first time. "You know, you never told me about this room."

"Oh! That's right," Anima said, relieved that Theo calmed down. "We don't know?"

"You don't know?"

"Well," Animus replied, "Philemon said this was the place between the subconscious and conscious. He called it 'The Velvet Room'."

"Velvet room... yeah, I can see that," Theo mused. "Why's it all blue?"

"We asked the same thing!" Anima exclaimed. "He just said 'it just was'."

* * *

The trio walked around the wasteland, looking around. They stopped back at the gateway that led them to the first mind, but something was very, very wrong.

"Why... is it broken?"

The gate was totally destroyed. What remained was a pile of rubble.

"I... I dunno," Anima said, at a loss of words.

"So what does this mean?" Animus asked.

"I think," Theo replied, "This means we can't access Les Miserables World anymore."

"...Les Miserables World?" Anima raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I remember, it was from this movie I saw last year."

"Wait," Animus asked, facing Theo, "What did you say?"

"What?" Theo asked. "I just said I... remember." He looked at both of them with a shocked face. "I remember."

"Yay!" Anima squealed, hugging Theo. "Now c'mon, what else do you remember?"

Theo closed his eyes, swimming through his mind for any other memories. "I remembered some of my life when I was in school," Theo said. "It was during the fight with my Persona. I guess it triggered some memories, the classroom."

"I see," Animus mused. "So it seems that certain places let you remember certain things. And it's only when you're in another mind that you remember."

"So I have to find another gateway?" Theo asked.

"Probably, yeah."

"So what are we waiting for?" Anima asked. "Let's go!"

"**Well! It seems the dumbass trio return to the gateway. How am I not surprised. Oh wait, I'm not!**"

Out of nowhere, a voice appeared behind them. The three looked behind them, and they saw it's origin.

"Ah," Theo glared at the source. "Shadow me."

"**Right!**" Shadow Theo replied. "**And yet, not. No wonder no one likes you, you keep getting your shit wrong.**"

"Really, now," Theo replied back. "Then what are you?"

"**I'm what you call a Major. He knows you gained a Persona, so he sent me ahead to kill you.**"

"Wow, talk about lazy. Couldn't even come here in person to fight me himself." Theo smiled. He clicked Willpower, letting the power envelop his arm.

"Yeah," Animus said, readying for combat. "Well, at least you got backup now, Theo."

"**Hmph,**" Major Theo scoffed. "**Have at you, then, bastard.**" It readied itself for combat, growing twin blades on it's arms.

"Likewise." Theo aimed at the Major Shadow. "GARU!"

A gust of wind burst from Willpower, hitting the Shadow. The Shadow reeled back from the hit, momentarily stunning it. Theo raised the gauntlet and threw a punch, letting it drag him through the dirt.

"**Nope!**"

The Shadow raised his hand, catching the fist mid-flight. It pushed Theo to the ground on it's back.

"**Brings you back, huh?**" the Shadow taunted. Theo crawled on his back away from it.

"ANIMUS! HELP!"

From the air, a blue blur appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. The blur shot down on the Shadow, bringing dust clouds around both of them. When the dust cleared, two figures appeared. One, the Shadow pinned to the ground, and the other, Animus, making him stay there on the ground.

"**Tch. Why won't you just die!**"

"Because it's not my call."

The Shadow covered itself in miasma, turning it into a black gas. The gas dispersed and reformed behind Animus.

"**Hmph.**"

"Wha-"

The Shadow silenced Animus by punching him in the face, knocking him out. It turned itself towards Theo.

"**You can accept me all you want,**" it said, smiling. "**But I was never you in the first place.**"

Theo stood up, staring at the Shadow. It stood still, most likely preparing for his next move. In the silence of the battlefield, however, a new voice rang in his head.

_I am thou._

Theo looked around for the source, but revealing nothing.

_Thou art I._

Theo's arm began to glow blue. It pulsed with every syllable the voice said.

_From the sea of thy soul, I shall come forth._

Without thinking, Theo raised his hand in front of him. A blue card appeared in his hand, glowing and pulsating blue and white. Theo placed the card between two fingers. The Shadow's expression faltered, but it continued to smile. Instinctively, Theo said what he needed to say.

"Per..."

Theo threw the card upwards. The Shadow stood there, trying to figure out Theo's plan.

"...so..."

Theo caught the card, and crushed it in his hand.

"...NA!"

* * *

_AN: So Dumakulem gets used for once. And tell me if he's being too God Mode, I want my self-insert to be balanced._

_Persona is not owned by me._


	7. Memory: The Chariot

_"You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations_

* * *

**Memory: The Chariot**

_A rush of power went through my mind._

_Instinct took over._

_Crush._

_Dominate._

_Destroy._

* * *

The room was covered in white, with the exception of the front and back, which had a blackboard and bulletin board, respectively. The teacher in front was teaching us about Algebra. She was a short woman, dark brown skin, and extremely nice. Too nice, in my opinion.

"Okay class, who wants to write the answer to this equation?"

* * *

_The Shadow dodged my blast. _

_It floated to the left._

_Animus!_

_Get up!_

* * *

I raised my hand. I computed it, both mentally and on paper. I should be right. I'm sure of it.

"Yes, !̶͎̮͔̫ͧ́͆ͥ̏͟͢ͅ, what is the answer?"

I stood up, went up to the board, and picked up a piece of broken chalk from the chalk ledge.

* * *

_Animus stood up and rushed._

_Dumakulem! BASH!_

_KILL. DESTROY._

_Missed. Damn._

_"PERSONA!"_

* * *

I thought on it. Check and double-check. Don't rush, don't panic. Then solve.

Parenthesis first, then multiply, divide, add, subtract. Combine like terms, I knew how this worked. I wrote my answer and sat back on my chair.

I was confident. I knew I was right.

* * *

_"DUMAKULEM! GARU!"_

_Gust of wind._

_Shadow unfazed._

_New strategy._

_Dumakulem. _

_Garu._

_Beneath my feet._

_Do it._

* * *

"Sorry, Mr. !̶͎̮͔̫ͧ́͆ͥ̏͟͢ͅ, that's the wrong answer," she said after checking it.

What. But I computed it! I even wrote it down!

"Oh. Sorry," I replied.

"Now, who could write down the correct..."

I was half listening there. I didn't want to know the right answer. I was right.

* * *

_Rise up._

_ Willpower. Activate._

_Ready._

_Aim._

_Fire._

"GARU!"

* * *

_**AN: I'm late, because fuck college and writer's block. Yes, I know this is short. I call these Memory Chapters: where I show Theo's (read: my personal) memories when he remembers something.**_


End file.
